Lead Contamination

Lead in Nebraska Drinking Water

Ranked by 90th percentile lead level (ppb) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

200

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

2.7 ppb

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

195

Health Violations

Analysis

Lead in Nebraska: what the data shows

Nebraska has 200 cities with lead monitoring data, with very few cities exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average 90th percentile lead level is 2.7 ppb, compared to 3.3 ppb nationally — better than the national average. 4 cities exceed the 15 ppb action level. High lead levels in tap water typically indicate aging infrastructure — lead service lines, lead solder in older plumbing, or lead-containing brass fixtures. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The 90th percentile measurement means that 90% of tap samples in a city are at or below the reported level. This is the standard EPA uses under the Lead and Copper Rule to determine if a water system needs to take corrective action. An NSF 53-certified pitcher or under-sink filter can effectively remove lead at the tap.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 15 ppb EPA Action Level

Nebraska

4 of 200 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

378 of 15681 cities

City Map

Lead data across Nebraska

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. Cities with lead levels above the 15 ppb EPA action level are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by lead level in Nebraska

Highest Lead levels (ppb)

All Cities

All Nebraska cities ranked by lead level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Papillion	35.2 ppb	Yes	17	C+
2	Gibbon	17.9 ppb	Yes	18	B
3	Ceresco	16.0 ppb	Yes	3	B
4	Niobrara	15.1 ppb	Yes	27	C
5	Beaver City	14.4 ppb	No	2	B+
6	Omaha	12.3 ppb	No	14	C-
7	Mccook	12.1 ppb	No	35	B-
8	Waterloo	11.7 ppb	No	0	B+
9	Wisner	11.1 ppb	No	45	D+
10	Kennard	9.6 ppb	No	17	B
11	Friend	9.4 ppb	No	9	A-
12	Stromsburg	9.1 ppb	No	7	B
13	Gretna	8.1 ppb	No	30	C+
14	Juniata	7.7 ppb	No	5	B+
15	North Platte	7.6 ppb	No	36	C+
16	Chadron	7.0 ppb	No	29	D+
17	Hay Springs	6.3 ppb	No	5	B+
18	Hastings	6.0 ppb	No	14	B-
19	Winnetoon	5.8 ppb	No	9	A-
20	Superior	5.8 ppb	No	5	A
21	Pawnee City (Rr Name Pawnee)	5.2 ppb	No	4	A
22	Lincoln	5.1 ppb	No	64	C-
23	Holdrege	5.0 ppb	No	16	A
24	Falls City	5.0 ppb	No	3	A
25	Scottsbluff	4.9 ppb	No	20	A-
26	Osceola	4.7 ppb	No	2	B+
27	Peru	4.4 ppb	No	3	A-
28	Aurora	4.3 ppb	No	8	A-
29	Arapahoe	4.2 ppb	No	19	A-
30	Pawnee City	4.1 ppb	No	4	A
31	Bloomfield	3.9 ppb	No	5	A-
32	North Bend	3.8 ppb	No	3	A-
33	Franklin	3.8 ppb	No	11	A
34	Wakefield	3.5 ppb	No	7	B+
35	Ponca	3.5 ppb	No	48	C+
36	Palmyra	3.5 ppb	No	6	B+
37	Murdock	3.4 ppb	No	19	A
38	Sutton	3.3 ppb	No	7	A-
39	Union	3.3 ppb	No	23	B+
40	Louisville	3.3 ppb	No	2	B
41	Elmwood	3.3 ppb	No	5	B+
42	Mitchell	3.1 ppb	No	7	A-
43	Arnold	3.1 ppb	No	3	A
44	York	3.1 ppb	No	42	C-
45	Axtell	3.1 ppb	No	28	B+
46	Syracuse	3.0 ppb	No	11	A
47	St Paul	3.0 ppb	No	3	A+
48	Dodge	3.0 ppb	No	12	A-
49	Lexington	2.9 ppb	No	31	B-
50	Neligh	2.9 ppb	No	16	A
51	Henderson	2.8 ppb	No	32	B+
52	Curtis	2.8 ppb	No	1	B+
53	Murray	2.8 ppb	No	3	A
54	Gering	2.7 ppb	No	36	B+
55	Scribner	2.7 ppb	No	1	B+
56	Oakland	2.7 ppb	No	5	B+
57	West Point	2.6 ppb	No	5	A-
58	Wausa	2.6 ppb	No	3	A
59	Sutherland	2.5 ppb	No	6	A
60	Hickman	2.5 ppb	No	13	A
61	Ravenna	2.5 ppb	No	9	A
62	Creighton	2.5 ppb	No	7	A-
63	Loup City	2.5 ppb	No	11	A
64	Alma	2.4 ppb	No	13	A
65	Genoa	2.4 ppb	No	5	A-
66	Alda	2.4 ppb	No	40	B
67	Coleridge	2.4 ppb	No	10	A-
68	Schuyler	2.3 ppb	No	21	A-
69	Wayne	2.3 ppb	No	18	A-
70	Auburn	2.3 ppb	No	14	A-
71	Pierce	2.3 ppb	No	5	A-
72	Broken Bow	2.2 ppb	No	5	A
73	Tekamah	2.2 ppb	No	10	A
74	Oxford	2.2 ppb	No	9	A
75	Cozad	2.2 ppb	No	4	A+
76	Overton	2.1 ppb	No	9	A+
77	Dorchester	2.1 ppb	No	15	A
78	Albion	2.1 ppb	No	16	B+
79	Kenesaw	2.1 ppb	No	12	A-
80	St. Edward	2.1 ppb	No	9	A-
81	Seward	2.0 ppb	No	25	A-
82	Valley	2.0 ppb	No	4	A-
83	Wymore	2.0 ppb	No	18	A-
84	Plainview	2.0 ppb	No	27	C
85	Eagle	2.0 ppb	No	12	A-
86	Randolph	2.0 ppb	No	9	A
87	Culbertson	2.0 ppb	No	11	A
88	Grand Island	2.0 ppb	No	4	B
89	Cedar Bluffs	2.0 ppb	No	12	A-
90	Atkinson	1.9 ppb	No	17	A
91	Lyons	1.9 ppb	No	4	A-
92	Dakota City	1.9 ppb	No	1	A-
93	Wilber	1.9 ppb	No	4	A-
94	Callaway	1.9 ppb	No	16	A
95	Plattsmouth	1.9 ppb	No	2	B
96	Fairbury	1.9 ppb	No	5	A-
97	Tecumseh	1.8 ppb	No	15	A-
98	Beatrice	1.7 ppb	No	15	A-
99	Milford	1.7 ppb	No	45	B
100	Blue Hill	1.7 ppb	No	4	A
101	Elm Creek	1.7 ppb	No	3	A
102	Osmond	1.7 ppb	No	33	B+
103	Ashland	1.7 ppb	No	8	B
104	Trenton	1.7 ppb	No	6	B+
105	Sidney	1.6 ppb	No	28	A
106	Shelton	1.6 ppb	No	9	A-
107	Harvard	1.6 ppb	No	3	A
108	Bassett	1.6 ppb	No	8	A
109	Crete	1.6 ppb	No	4	A+
110	Doniphan	1.5 ppb	No	5	A-
111	Bennet (Bennett)	1.5 ppb	No	13	A-
112	Waverly	1.5 ppb	No	11	A-
113	Geneva	1.5 ppb	No	1	A+
114	Hebron	1.5 ppb	No	8	A-
115	Terrytown	1.5 ppb	No	18	A-
116	Oshkosh	1.5 ppb	No	10	A
117	Arlington	1.4 ppb	No	2	A
118	Gothenburg	1.4 ppb	No	2	A-
119	Fullerton	1.4 ppb	No	14	B+
120	Norfolk	1.4 ppb	No	5	B+
121	Hartington	1.4 ppb	No	7	A
122	Indianola	1.4 ppb	No	30	A-
123	Hershey	1.4 ppb	No	0	A-
124	Columbus	1.4 ppb	No	75	F
125	Adams	1.3 ppb	No	5	B+
126	Crawford	1.2 ppb	No	14	A-
127	Central City	1.2 ppb	No	11	A-
128	Ord	1.2 ppb	No	1	A
129	Humboldt	1.2 ppb	No	122	B-
130	Burwell	1.2 ppb	No	7	A+
131	Homer	1.2 ppb	No	9	A
132	O'Neill	1.1 ppb	No	24	A-
133	Chappell	1.1 ppb	No	13	A
134	South Sioux City	1.1 ppb	No	2	B+
135	Minden	1.1 ppb	No	3	A-
136	Valentine	1.1 ppb	No	1	A
137	Laurel	1.1 ppb	No	27	A-
138	Shelby	1.1 ppb	No	9	A
139	Valparaiso	1.1 ppb	No	3	A-
140	Mead	1.1 ppb	No	5	A-
141	Hemingford	1.0 ppb	No	13	A
142	Exeter	1.0 ppb	No	1	A-
143	Madison	1.0 ppb	No	3	A+
144	Cambridge	1.0 ppb	No	37	A-
145	Rushville	1.0 ppb	No	8	A-
146	Verdigre	1.0 ppb	No	8	A
147	Sargent	1.0 ppb	No	17	A-
148	Alliance	1.0 ppb	No	24	A
149	David City	1.0 ppb	No	0	A+
150	Bertrand	0.9 ppb	No	13	A
151	Fremont	0.9 ppb	No	51	C+
152	Hooper	0.9 ppb	No	12	A-
153	Bridgeport	0.8 ppb	No	30	A-
154	Spencer	0.8 ppb	No	35	A-
155	Imperial	0.8 ppb	No	3	A+
156	Fairmont	0.8 ppb	No	4	A-
157	Howells	0.8 ppb	No	23	B+
158	Macy	0.8 ppb	No	10	B-
159	Humphrey	0.7 ppb	No	57	B
160	Weeping Water	0.7 ppb	No	7	A
161	Gordon	0.7 ppb	No	8	A
162	Ogallala	0.7 ppb	No	22	A
163	Crofton	0.7 ppb	No	53	B-
164	De Witt	0.6 ppb	No	8	A-
165	Grant	0.6 ppb	No	3	A+
166	Beemer	0.6 ppb	No	30	B+
167	Ainsworth	0.6 ppb	No	17	A
168	Springfield	0.5 ppb	No	18	A
169	Winnebago	0.5 ppb	No	22	A-
170	Nebraska City	0.5 ppb	No	6	A-
171	Benkelman	0.5 ppb	No	67	B+
172	Wahoo	0.5 ppb	No	15	B+
173	Kearney	0.0 ppb	No	45	C+
174	Blair	0.0 ppb	No	51	C+
175	Kimball	0.0 ppb	No	0	A+
176	Morrill	0.0 ppb	No	31	A
177	Stanton	0.0 ppb	No	19	B+
178	Yutan	0.0 ppb	No	8	A+
179	Wood River	0.0 ppb	No	4	A-
180	Bayard	0.0 ppb	No	57	A-
181	Battle Creek	0.0 ppb	No	14	A
182	Red Cloud	0.0 ppb	No	6	A
183	Fort Calhoun	0.0 ppb	No	2	A+
184	Tilden	0.0 ppb	No	13	A-
185	Elwood	0.0 ppb	No	21	B
186	Utica	0.0 ppb	No	4	A+
187	Minatare	0.0 ppb	No	41	A-
188	Cairo	0.0 ppb	No	11	A
189	Elkhorn	0.0 ppb	No	3	B+
190	Deshler	0.0 ppb	No	9	A-
191	Bellevue	0.0 ppb	No	0	A+
192	Clay Center	0.0 ppb	No	7	A
193	Newman Grove	0.0 ppb	No	8	A-
194	Elgin	0.0 ppb	No	16	A
195	Bartley	0.0 ppb	No	19	A
196	Firth	0.0 ppb	No	9	B-
197	Clarkson	0.0 ppb	No	13	A
198	Greenwood	0.0 ppb	No	17	A-
199	Wauneta	0.0 ppb	No	30	B+
200	Cortland	0.0 ppb	No	14	A

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about lead in Nebraska

Is lead in Nebraska tap water a concern?

Yes — 4 of 200 cities with lead data exceed the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average is 2.7 ppb. Even below the action level, lead poses health risks especially for children and pregnant women. If your home was built before 1986, consider testing your tap water directly.

How can I reduce lead exposure from Nebraska tap water?

Use an NSF 53-certified water filter, which is specifically certified to reduce lead. Run your cold tap for 30 seconds before drinking or cooking, especially if water has been sitting in pipes for hours. Never use hot tap water for cooking or making baby formula, as heat increases lead leaching from pipes.

Which Nebraska cities have the highest lead levels?

The cities with the highest 90th percentile lead levels in Nebraska are: Papillion (35.2 ppb), Gibbon (17.9 ppb), Ceresco (16.0 ppb), Niobrara (15.1 ppb), Beaver City (14.4 ppb). See the full ranked table above.

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